


Breaking Barriers

by keresWings



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human/Troll Society, Multi, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-11
Updated: 2015-01-25
Packaged: 2017-12-19 05:03:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/879774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keresWings/pseuds/keresWings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten years ago, an alien ship crashed landed on Earth, disgorging Alternians. They have learned to live in harmony with humans, except for one: the Grand Highblood. Enter Rose Lalonde-Strider, celebrated psychologist and specialist in xenopsychology. Can she break down the walls a lifetime as the High Subjugglator has forced him to erect?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Today marks the decade anniversary of the Alternian race’s introduction to Earth.

Ten years ago a spaceship holding Alternian prisoners and their guards crash landed on Interstate 30 just outside Dallas, Texas, and the leaders of the Alternian half of our government, the Signless and Karkat Vantas, gave speeches in front of the White House on how they appreciate the human world for being so accepting.

“We understand that accepting trolls into your lives and your society has been hard,” said the Signless, “and we as a species are eternally grateful for the hospitality and kindness you have shown us over this last decade. As you know, the prisoner vessel that brought us to Earth was carrying Alternians who had been convicted of the crime of existing. Landing on Earth was a golden opportunity, a second chance, and we thank you from the bottom of our vascular pumps that you have embraced us as brothers and sisters in a universe full of hardship.”

After the Signless’s speech, Vantas stepped up and shocked the entire Alternian nation (and most of the human one) at large. “All Alternians have been either absolved or suitably punished for the crimes they committed on Alternia. All except one. I make a public service announcement today to show you that we are leaving no troll behind, and we have called upon the best psychologist in the world to personally tackle the case of the Grand Highblood.”

To give the unfamiliar readers a bit of information about the Grand Highblood: He is a large, ruthless troll, the highest on the Alternian hemospectrum to have been on the ship. As a purpleblood, many people, both human and troll, have tried to rehabilitate him, but none have succeeded. He’s been locked away in the most secure prison in the country ever since the Alternian ship landed. The prison is so secure, its location is a closely guarded secret to prevent outsider from aiding in escape attempts.

And so, the Grand Highblood’s newest personal psychologist took the stage of the White House, and it was certainly a famous face indeed - that of Dr Rose Lalonde-Strider.

Dr Lalonde graduated at the top of her class four years ago, specializing in xenopsychology, and has written countless papers and several books on the topic of the Grand Highblood, Alternian culture, and how Alternian culture has changed in the last decade on Earth. In the crowd, one could see the good doctor’s girlfriend, an Alternian by the name of Kanaya Maryam, sitting in the front row, clapping along with the rest of the audience as her matesprit took the stage.

Dr Lalonde has not only been prominent in the psychology field, but has also been taking center stage in the fight for troll rights against the strenuous right wing Republicans who originally denied Alternians personship,  and are now denying rights such as integrated human/troll public schools and the right to interspecies marriage. Also with Dr Lalonde in the fight for court rights is her brother, the famous director and actor Dave Strider, and his moirail, Terezi Pyrope, an up-and-coming Alternian prosecutor.

Well connected though she may be, Doctor Lalonde is on her own to face the latest challenge her career has thrown at her, and she seems eager to take it head on.

 

* * *

 

2024-07-21

Log #GHB-001

I have been called by the government of the United States of America, both Alternian and human variations, to play psychologist to the dangerous troll criminal known as the Grand Highblood. Although I have written five papers and a book on the subject of this particular individual and his unique psychological pattern, even in regards to Alternian norms, my requests to interview him in prison have all been denied. Now, it seems, I will be the only one allowed access to him. It is quite an interesting turn of events, and one my career is grateful for.

My schedule for working the Grand Highblood is every second day, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, with extra time as needed. Kanaya and I are being moved to a secure location near the Grand Highblood’s incarceration point so I will always be near my patient. Although we will be allowed to keep contact with our friends, it will have to be via letters and the internet, to protect the secret nature of the Grand Highblood’s location.

I expect the Grand Highblood will be hard to reach initially, because of the years spent in prison and isolation with hostile human guards as his only contact with the sentient world. On top of that, I expect him to be especially hostile to me, as a sort of ambassador from the human race, because of the humans’ role in freeing his prisoners and assisting in their long sought for acquirement of power over him.

My first and most important task will be breaking down the barriers in his mind that his lifestyle on Alternia had built up between him and others, the ones that prevent him from becoming attached to everyone he could have loved. From my and Kanaya’s research into the Grand Highblood’s life in my second paper, _The Ramifications of a Subjugglator Lifestyle on Healthy Alternian Minds_ , he was alone all his life, with only underlings and business associates, and no quadrantmates to speak of, not even when he was a wriggler. Obviously, being trained to be a cold, emotionless killing machine will be difficult to reverse, but I am sure I will be able to, with sufficient care.

Tomorrow, Kanaya and I will be picked up by a small US Army convoy and taken to our safe house, which is why my dearest brother has shown up not half an hour prior with a small number of well wishers, and they are now draining my (admittedly well stocked) bar dry. And so, I suppose I must go and play the reluctant hostess. I must make sure to pack my textbooks, Kanaya says I am becoming remarkably fluent with Traditional Alternian.

Dr Rose Lalonde-Strider  
BA.Psychology, MA.Xenopsychology, Ph.D.Xenopsychology, BSc.Xenobiology


	2. Chapter 2

Rose sighs and closes her netbook, Dave tapping his fingers against the doorframe impatiently. “Come on, sis, seriously, you and Kanaya don’t have all night.”

“I am well aware that it may be months before you see us again, dear brother,” she replies coolly, standing up and gently placing the computer in her packed bag, “and I’m sure we will both treasure it as much as two siblings can.”

The left side of Dave’s mouth twitches in a faint smirk, wrapping Rose in a hug when she approaches him. Rose smiles faintly against his shoulder and hugs him back. “Calm down, Dave. You know full well that we're going to have plenty of video chats.”

“Don't care, still gonna miss you,” he says stubbornly. After a few moments, the two siblings pull away from each other.

“Is Roxy drinking every Kanaya and I have stocked over the years?” Rose asks, attempting to lighten the mood. Dave grins, full out.

“You know it. C'mon, let's go save everyone from her drunken shenanigans.”

Rose and Dave exit the study, padding quietly down the hall towards the living room. Roxy is, certainly, fairly drunk, and she has herself draped over Dirk, laughing much too loudly. Kanaya is in the corner talking to Jane, Roxy's girlfriend, and Terezi is entertaining the older Strilondes.

Rose's colleague Aradia and her moirail Sollux are on the couch, their drinks levitating in a small cloud of red and blue energy. Rose lets Dave to over and talk to Karkat (most likely to convince the troll to engage in sloppy bathroom makeouts like teenagers), and Rose wanders over to the rustblooded woman.

“Hello, Rose,” Aradia says pleasantly. Sollux raises a hand in greeting.

“Hello Aradia, Sollux,” Rose greets them. “I'm glad you were able to make it.”

“We wouldn't miss it for the world,” Aradia assures her. “It's going to be great for you to work with the Grand Highblood.”

“Just don't get yourself killed,” Sollux interjects, “or Aradia'll keep your ghost in her pocket for ages just to admonish you for not being careful.”

Rose smiles. “I'm sure you'll convince her to let me go in a reasonable amount of time.”

The two trolls laugh and shuff over to make room for Rose to sit down. She does so graciously.

The small party of eight goes well into the night, but by the time one AM rolls around, Kanaya is gently herding people out the door. “We're being picked up at eight o'clock,” she reminds them. “As fun as it would be to have you stay all night, it just isn't feasible.”

After making Dirk promise to keep the house in good shape while they're gone and allowing Roxy to sneak out with a bottle of spiced rum, Rose and Kanaya stack their bags by the door and go to bed.

* * *

In the morning, Rose and Kanaya are greeted by smartly dressed soldiers. Kanaya invites them in and offers them coffee, but, maintaining professionalism, they decline. The two women quietly climb into an armoured Jeep in the middle of their convoy. Their driver greets them and the radio crackles as their bags are packed into the trunk. 

Fifteen minutes later, the convoy pulls out of the suburbs and onto the highway. Kanaya pulls her sketchbook out of her tote bag and starts drawing out rough designs for the summer's fashion. Rose watches her for a while before pulling out a book (The Ideals of Alternia and How it Affects Trolls Today by Alternian philosopher Joudie Amfera) and picking up where she left off at Chapter Six: Killing, Culling, and Subjugation. It takes several hours, but eventually the convoy pulls into a small yet heavily fortified containment area. The walls and buildings are thick, solid concrete, and the vehicles roll down a small incline to an underground parking lot.

It takes a few more minutes to cross the lot and when Rose and Kanaya finally exit the Jeep, grateful to stretch their legs again, they're greeted by an oliveblooded troll named Colonel Sahgri.

“Welcome to the International Internment Facility of Socially Destructive Criminals,” he greets them formally. “I've been working with the Grand Highblood for almost a year now. I'll be showing you to your new residence.”

Rose and Kanaya keep stride with Colonel Sahgri as he quickly paces through concrete hallways. “Is the entire facility underground?” Kanaya asks. The colonel nods.

“Yes,” he explains. “It was built this way before the prison ship crashlanded, and it's been remodeled as a jailhouse specifically to deal with the problem of the Grand Highblood.”

“You said you've been working with him for almost a year,” Rose notes. “What happened to his last psychologist and handler?”

“What didn't happen to him?” the colonel snorts. “The Grand Highblood went into a rage and quite literally tore him limb from limb. We had to move the prisoner to a new cell as we scrubbed the blood off the walls.”

Kanaya tsks, and the conversation ends. When they reach the house, Rose finds it's a modest affair, with only one floor. There is one bedroom, one bathroom, and the rest of the house is open plan. It's already fully furnished.

“Internet, heat, water, and electricity are all functioning,” says Colonel Sahgri. “You have today to settle in, and I'll introduce you to the Grand Highblood tomorrow. Your bags will be brought up in a few hours.”

Rose thanks him as he leaves and they quickly explore the house. Rose settles down at the dining table in the corner of the open plan and pulls her netbook out of the bag she carried with her from the Jeep.

* * *

2024-07-22

Log #GHB-002

The residence house is nice. Kanaya and I were moved in with minimal fuss. I've been pursuing the videos of his therapy sessions over the last decade and I must admit that I am impressed with his dedication to violence. No matter if he has human or troll interrogators, highblood or lowblood psychologists, he pursues their death quickly and, more often than not, effectively. I don't want to count how many shades of blood I've seen splattered across the camera lens by his hands in the last few hours alone.

This is going to be more of a challenge than I thought, and suddenly the government's idea to contract me for years instead of months is making sense. The Grand Highblood actually has quite a childlike mentality, and he clings to things that are impossible and unreasonable, such as a stubborn prepubescent would. Again, I'm contributing this factor to the strict caste system and what purplebloods were considered 'born' to do – become Subjuglators and subsist on cannibalism and mindless violence, only pointed in the general right direction, not caring if they slayed friends or foes.

Despite this, he is certainly intelligent, often quoting books from renowned Subjuglator scholars, and although he never speaks in a language that isn't Alternian, his reactions prove that he is fully understands English.

Tomorrow I will meet my newest patient. I admit a delicious concoction of apprehension and excitement.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Rose and Kanaya wake up at their usual time, and go about their routine – make the bed, shower together, get dressed, help each other with make up, make breakfast together, sit down with pancakes and orange juice and discuss what they're going to do together. Rose fills up a thermos with coffee and goes to answer the door that has just been knocked rather firmly upon. Colonel Sahgri is standing there, uniform looking freshly pressed. Rose invites him inside.

“It's good to see you, Colonel,” she says warmly. “Just give me a moment to gather my bag.”

Kanaya drifts out of the kitchen area, her slim fingers wrapped around an ironic “Give me coffee and no one gets hurt” mug, a gift from Dave for their anniversary last year. “Good morning, Colonel,” she greets him cordially, “would you like some coffee?”

“Ah, no thank you, Ms Maryam,” he declines. “I'm just here to escort Dr Lalonde to the Grand Highblood.”

Kanaya and Sahgri make small talk as Rose hurries to the bedroom. In her leather satchel she puts her netbook, a textbook of Traditional Alternian, a book she is reading for research ( _The History of the Subjuglators and Her Imperious Condescension_ ), and her notebook, along with several pens, pencils, and multicoloured highlighters. She slings the strap over her shoulder and looks around the room. Her eyes land on a small collection of scalemates given to her and Kanaya by Terezi, and on impulse, she swipes up a purple one, tucking it into her satchel.

“Ready when you are, Colonel,” she says, striding back into the living room. The oliveblood nods, saluting Kanaya before heading out the door. Kanaya sets her mug down on the counter and walks over to wrap Rose up into a hug, which the human returns.

“Have a good day, love,” says Kanaya. “Be safe.”

Rose kisses her chastely. “Of course, darling. When am I ever not?”

Kanaya chuckles. “Always?”

“Mm,” Rose agrees, kissing her again.

“Oh!” Kanaya exclaims, and gently extracts herself from Rose's embrace to hurry over and pick up her matesprit's thermos. “Don't forget your coffee.”

Rose takes the thermos out of Kanaya's hand and smiles at the jadeblood. “Thank you, dear. Now, I should probably go before Colonel Sahgri thinks I'm not coming.”

With that, Rose hurries out the door, where Sahgri is waiting on a golf cart. Doing her best not to smirk, Rose delicately perches in the passenger seat. The ride is mostly uneventful, passing other golf carts on carrying military personnel on their way to different parts of the facility. Rose sips on her coffee (double cream, triple sugar, just the way Kanaya knows she likes it) as she watches concrete flooring disappear under the wheels, her free hand fingering the outline of the scalemate in her satchel.

It takes a few more minutes, but eventually, Rose and Colonel Sahgri are being waved through into a secure part of the facility. “This is the high security part of the prison,” Sahgri explains. It takes two more checkpoints, however, with each guarding a section with even tighter security, before they reach the Grand Highblood's section. “He's alone here,” explains Sahgri. “Much too dangerous to allow anywhere near other prisoners, whether there's a jail cell between them or not.”

Rose hums her understanding, swirling the half-full coffee in her mug thoughtfully. “I assume you're going to send a guard in with me.”

“Obviously.”

“Is there a chance that you wouldn't?” she asks.

Sahgri seems sort of taken aback. “I suppose that could be arranged,” he agrees, confused. Rose smiles at him.

“Wonderful, thank you,” she says, stepping out of the cart and striding towards the two guards on either side of the Grand Highblood's cell door.

“Hello, I'm Doctor Lalonde-Strider,” she introduces herself confidently, “psychiatrist to the Grand Highblood. I'm here for my first appointment with my patient. Would you let me in?”

The guards are slightly startled at her abrupt tone that implies that of course they're going to do what she says, but they relax when Colonel Sahgri nods at them. Guard number one, a human with dark skin and darker hair, turns and unlocks the heavy, solid metal door, and heaves it open enough for Rose to slip through. She shakes her head as guard number two, an indigoblood, goes to follow her, and she turns to face the cell as the door clangs shut behind her, the lock snapping back into place ominously.

The cell is bigger than she thought it would be, although it's plain. Near the door is a desk and chair, obviously for her, and she goes and sets her satchel on the dark wood. She can see faint bloodstains on the walls, and on the opposite side of the room is the Grand Highblood.

Her first impression is that he's huge. The Grand Highblood is easily seven feet tall, with two more feet of horns. His hair looks nigh uncontrollable, with how messy and – dare she say – poofy it is, circling his head as if gravity is a relativity. He's sitting on a prison cot, and he has thick chains attaching him to the wall at his wrists and neck. The chains are fairly long, though, and Rose estimates that the Grand Highblood could stand up and walk approximately halfway across the cell before they are pulled taunt.

She thinks she can see the glint of purple eyes watching her through that mass of hair.

“Hello,” she says evenly in English. “I'm Rose.”

Silence.

“Alright, well, if you want to talk, I'll be here.” She pulls out the chair and sits down, opening her satchel. The scalemate is taken out and put on the corner of the desk, and Rose pulls out her textbook, notebook, and the book she's reading for research. Opening to a new page, she clicks her pencil and starts scratching down notes in Alternian as she slowly makes her way through the chapter. Reading in a foreign language is slow going, and soon enough, an hour has passed. Rose looks up to see the Grand Highblood watching her intently. She gives him a warm, genuine smile and he jerks, scowling at the floor. She sets her pen down and leans her elbow on the table, cupping her chin in her hand.

“How are you feeling?” she asks in English, not wanting to give away that she speaks fluent Alternian.

The Grand Highblood exhales loudly through his nose, still pointedly glaring at the floor.

“Well, I have to go,” she says, gathering her books. “Would you like if I came back tomorrow?”

There's no response, of course. Rose hooks her satchel over her back and picks up the scalemate. She circles around the desk and goes to stand in front of the giant troll.

“Highblood,” she says softly, and he raises his head to look at her. She offers the scalemate. “I'd like you to have this."

His eyes bore into hers, looking for insincerity or deceitfulness. Rose gazes back, knowing he won't find any. After a long moment, he brings up a hand and takes the scalemate from her with surprising gentleness. Rose leaves the cell, the Grand Highblood still staring at the purple plushie in his hands.

* * *

 

2024-07-23

Log #GHB-003

As I expected, the Grand Highblood is resistive to me. I have a feeling he is used to psychologists bombarding him with questions and trying to force him to talk, and so he has a thick mental barrier. However, when confronted with kindness and respect, he doesn't know how to respond, and so I found him to be surprisingly vulnerable. I offered him a scalemate as a sort of olive branch, and I am delighted that he accepted it.

The Grand Highblood needs to learn how to emote positively, and I think friendship will help him with that. Before I can begin helping him with dealing with the rest of the world, I need to show him that I am trustworthy.

If I am honest with myself, I wouldn't mind a friendship with him. Something about the loneliness he has imbibed into the very fabric of his being makes me want to protect him from such a crushing existence.


	4. Chapter 4

“Good afternoon, Rose,” Kanaya greets her matesprit when Rose enters the modest living quarters. Rose dumps her satchel on the couch and walks over to where Kanaya is standing at the stove, wrapping her arms around the troll and resting her chin on the other woman's shoulder.

“Good afternoon, Kanaya,” Rose returns, pressing a kiss just below Kanaya's ear and causing the troll to smile. “Whatever you're cooking smells delicious.

“Spaghetti,” Kanaya informs her, and Rose hums appreciation.

“With your special sauce?” she asks.

“Of course. What do you take me for?” Rose laughs and kisses Kanaya's skin again.

“Perfect, as you are,” she replies. Kanaya flushes a tint of jade across her grey cheekbones.

“I will never get used to your flattery,” she says as she stirs the noodles with much more concentration than they need.

Rose smiles. “Sorry, darling. It's not so much flattery as it is the truth, though.” Kanaya waps at Rose's head lightly with the wooden spoon that had been in the spaghetti moments before.

“Stop that!” the troll cries, and Rose lets go, dancing across the kitchen and into the living room, laughing.

“I was able to get some more work done on _The History of the Subjuglators and Her Imperious_ _Condescension,”_ Rose says, sitting down beside her satchel and pulling out the mentioned book. Kanaya hums an indication that she's listening. “The meeting with the Grand Highblood only lasted about an hour, though. Which is good, I guess. I don't want him to get fed up with me too quickly.”

“Just an hour?” Kanaya asks. “But you've been gone since nine. It's quarter after four now!”

“And you got a lot done while I was gone,” Rose acknowledges, opening the book on her lap as she takes note of the sewing machine and bulletin board holding Kanaya's most recent fashion designs set up in the corner of the living room. On the other side of the room is a desk with all of Rose's work – her favourite research books and case files of previous patients and patients of others that she had brought with her to crosscheck against her work with the Grand Highblood. If it had been anyone except Kanaya, Rose would have been outraged that someone had presumed to set up her workspace for her. As it was, Rose just felt gratitude.

“Yes, I did,” Kanaya replies, “but that still doesn't answer my question.”

“Just talking with others who have worked with the Grand Highblood in the past,” Rose says. “Guards, psychologists, people who make meals for him three times a day. Anyone who's had contact with him at all in the last ten years. I'm going to be spending a lot of time on the phone for the next few weeks, contacting people who aren't in the facility.” 

Kanaya nods in understanding. “Yes, that will take quite a bit of time.” She leans forward and shuts the stove element off and carries the pot to the sink to drain it. “Come on, supper is ready.” Rose gets up with a smile.

* * *

 

The next day, Rose gets up on her own, Kanaya mumbling something about sleeping in. She pads through the house quietly, showering, getting dressed, and eating her morning breakfast and filling her coffee thermos before packing her satchel and going to meet Colonel Sahgri outside. It takes the oliveblood a few minutes to show up, but Rose doesn't mind, standing beneath the harsh fluorescent lights with her coffee is a quick wake up.

When Sahgri does show up, they only make light small talk on the ride to the Grand Highblood's cell, Rose much more interested in her coffee than any sort of conversation. She gives a small smile to the guards standing at the Grand Highblood's door as they haul it open for her, the blonde doctor slipping through the crack and dumping her satchel on the desk as the door clangs shut behind her.

It's a sound she's pretty sure she's going to get used to very quickly.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watches the Grand Highblood. Again, he's refusing to acknowledge her presence, but she can see the scalemate she gave him yesterday carefully placed on the corner of his mattress between the wall and his pillow. The hulking purpleblood is picking at his wrist cuffs absently, and Rose frowns slightly.

“Are they chafing?” she asks. Grand Highblood gives a short grunt, a question as to what she means. “The shackles. Are they chafing your wrists?” She leaves her bag and takes a few steps towards him, but he pulls his hands towards his chest and snarls, baring his fangs at her. She stops, but doesn't flinch. She was raised by Bro Strider, okay? She's seen scarier things.

“It's fine,” he growls in Alternian. Rose frowns a bit, it's obviously not fine if it's bothering him, but she lets it go.

“I'm glad you like the scalemate,” she says in English, changing the subject. 

The satisfaction she feels at the confusion in his eyes is almost as great as when she gets the upper hand over Dave.

* * *

 

2024-07-24

Log #GHB-004

As expected, my counselling schedule with the Grand Highblood has been torn up and thrown out the window, much like an early draft of Dave's childhood raps. I must speak with Colonel Sahgri about getting a golf cart of my own so I will not have to bother him with my erratic visits to see my patient.

He said his first words to me today. Naturally, they were to deny any sort of discomfort he may be feeling, but with the way he was rubbing at his cuffs for the entire session, I can tell they've been chafing him, and most likely for a while. Although troll skin is much thicker than human skin, wear and tear still occurs and can be extremely painful.

He appreciated the scalemate I gave to him, and I was interested to see that he hasn't torn it apart. Instead, it rests on his cot beside his pillow, and that definitely captured my attention. It's subtle enough that I'm not sure if he realizes what he's doing, looking for a friend he can confide in absolutely. A stuffed toy isn't exactly a person who could betray him, and so I think I did well when I presented the gift to him.

This is progress.


	5. Chapter 5

The next day, Rose wakes up and immediately decides its going to be a lazy day. So she hits the snooze button and rolls over for another hour of sleep, wrapping an arm around a still-asleep Kanaya.

An hour later, she actually wakes up when her alarm goes off, and she hauls herself out of bed with a soft sigh. Kanaya sits up and rubs at an eye, yawn showing off glinting fangs. Rose smiles at her matesprit fondly.

“Good morning, Kanaya,” she says. Kanaya smiles back, licking dry lips.

“Good morning to you as well, my love,” the troll replies, tossing back the covers and standing up on the other side of the bed. Rose hums and makes her way out into the open plan living space, padding with bare feet out to the kitchen area. Kanaya follows a few seconds behind, lingering back to admire Rose; pale skin flushed and blonde hair tussled from sleep, loose cloth shorts hanging low on her hips beneath an old T-shirt of Dirk's that she had cut the arms and collar off of.

The human Kanaya is admiring pulls a box of Kellogg's cereal and pours herself a generous bowl, drowning it in milk before fishing a spoon out of a drawer and leaning over the counter, her free arm curling around the bowl protectively as she eats. Bright lavender eyes catch Kanaya's jade ones.

“Enjoying the view?” she asks, wiggling her hips in Kanaya's direction even as she returns her attention to her breakfast. Kanaya gives a small laugh and makes her own way into the kitchen, snagging the cereal box as she pulls her own bowl out of a cupboard.

“Always,” the taller troll replies, bumping her nightgown-covered hip against Rose's. Rose hums her happiness and bumps back.

The two eat their cereal in companionable silence, only broken when Kanaya asks Rose to pass the sugar so she can add some more halfway through her bowl. Rose smiles and obligingly hands over the sugar bowl, deciding (this time) not to comment on her lover's sweet tooth.

The two women rinse their bowls in the sink and place their dishes neatly in the dishwasher, cutlery in the basket and bowls lined up next to each other. The two then move on to the bathroom, where Rose quickly adjusts the shower and leaves the water to warm up as they strip of their nightclothes and slip into the shower stall together. The shower is a half-hour affair of soap across cream and grey skin and chaste kisses. Rose keeps her toothbrush and toothpaste in the shower as well, and she scrubs her teeth as she relaxes against Kanaya's chest, the troll nuzzling at Rose's hair.

Kanaya brushes her own fangs when she leaves the shower, naked and still dripping wet in front of the sink. Rose laughs and flicks on the bathroom fan, wiping herself dry with a towel before taking a blow dryer to her hair. Kanaya prefers to let her own hair air dry, and so she merely wipes excess water off of her skin and wraps the towel around her waist as she moves back into the bedroom.

Rose spends ten more minutes before her hair is sufficiently dry, and she places her hairband meticulously in place before wrapping her own towel around her body, a corner tucked under her arm to keep it from falling down, and meeting Kanaya in the bedroom.

The troll is already dressed, a red skirt and a black, long sleeved t-shirt with her sign on it. Most trolls still keep the tradition of showing blood caste and sign in their clothing, although it's no longer required by law. Rose kisses Kanaya's cheek when she sees that her girlfriend has already laid out an outfit on the bed for her, a simple affair of a loose, cream coloured shirt and her favourite crochet lavender pullover over a black camisole. Kanaya, who's sitting in front of the mirror applying makeup, merely smiles at Rose in the mirror's reflection as she dabs eyeshadow onto her lid.

Rose pulls on the clothes, pulling at the shoulders of the pullover so it sits just right before going over and taking the seat Kanaya is vacating. The troll stands behind Rose as the human picks out her makeup for the day – signature black lipstick with bronze and cream tones to help her not look washed out from the light colours of her clothing – and expertly applies it with just a few flicks of her wrist. When the two are finally ready for the day, Kanaya offers her hand to Rose and helps her matesprit rise from her seat, escorting her to the living room where Rose sits on the couch and Kanaya goes to her work desk.

Rose pulls her netbook into her lap and immediately brings up Youtube, setting her favourite playlist for her and Kanaya to listen to as they work. With the comforting sounds of Kanaya's scissors, Rose pulls up a new Word document and starts typing, organizing her initial thoughts and workings with the Grand Highblood.

She's not much more than five minutes into it before a Pesterchum notification pops up in the center of her screen.

Roxy Lalonde is requesting a video chat! Accept? Decline?

Rose clicks accept and her elder sister graces her screen, with Dave and Dirk crowding the background.

“Surprise!” Roxy calls, voice slightly tinny through Rose's speakers. “We haven't heard from you in a couple days, so we figured we'd call! How's life in the super duper secret prison that we don't actually know about?”

Rose smiles at her siblings as Kanaya's chair scrapes backwards on the hardwood floor.

“Oh, it's all right,” she says. “The accommodations they've given Kanaya and me is absolutely lovely.”

Kanaya then drapes herself over the back of the couch and across Rose's shoulders, smiling slightly. “Hello, everyone,” she says.

“Hi Kanaya!” Roxy chirps, as Dirk chimes in with a “Sup, Maryam?” and Dave with a “Yo.”

“So, what's the big bad like?” Dave asks. “Is he everything your psychologist mind dreamed?”

“Oh yes,” Rose says, lips quirking at her twin, “absolutely everything. Why, it even pales in comparison to the days of our youth, and our fervent attempts to reinstate Freud into credibility with the homoerotic subtext of your dreams alone.”

“I'm not your favourite patient anymore?” Dave puts a hand to his chest, faking betrayal. “Rose, I'm hurt, I really am.”

“I'm sure you'll find it in yourself to forgive me,” she replies snidely.

“Do you miss us yet?” Roxy says, stealing back the conversation.

“Absolutely,” Kanaya says before Rose has a chance. “It's just not the same without you.”

“Hah!” Roxy cries triumphantly, elbowing Dirk. “See? I _told_ you they'd miss us!”

Dirk lets out a small huff. “Rose, for serious, you safe there? I don't like you being alone with the Grand Highblood. I've been hearing some awful things from Aradia and Sollux.”

Rose waves a hand airily. “Don't worry about me, Dirk. I'm fine. Besides, they have him chained to the walls twenty four-seven, which is treatment I highly disapprove of, but from what I've seen so far, it's not exactly unwarranted.”

“What!?” blasts out of the netbook speakers from all three Strilonde siblings, and Rose raises her hands.

“Calm down,” she reassures them. “I just mean that I've been watching the video footage of his sessions with former psychologists and he didn't treat them very nicely. He has yet to be hostile towards me.”

Dave scowls. “Jesus, Lalonde, give me a fucking heart attack."

“Do you admit to feeling something akin to emotion, then, brother dearest?” she asks, syrupy sweet.

“Fuck no.”

Rose smirks. “I thought not. Thank you for your concern, though. I'm fine, don't worry. Bro raised us all well enough to take care of ourselves; I'm not an exception to that.”

“Damn straight,” Dirk grunts. “Anyway, was just checking in. Good to see you, Rose.”

“You too,” Rose says with a faint smile, and Dave and Roxy chorus their goodbyes as well before Rose ends the video call. She turns her head and shares a soft kiss with Kanaya.

“It is good to see them,” Kanaya says, and Rose hums in agreement.

Just then, a loud knock comes at the door, and the women jump. Kanaya stands up and goes to answer it. On the other side is Colonel Sahgri, who looks worried underneath his professionalism.

“Dr Lalonde,” he says, “there's been an issue with the Grand Highblood. We need you to come right away, please.” 

“Of course,” Rose says, and stands quickly, placing her netbook on the coffee table before brushing Kanaya's arm with her fingertips in a quick goodbye, following Sahgri out the door.

* * *

 

2024-07-25

Log #GHB-005

I'm noticing that a lot of trolls, especially those who find themselves in the mental health system, are often extremely averse to any sort of professional help, at least at first. I have a feeling this is due to life on Alternia, where any mental issues were considered to be a weakness that should either be hidden or dealt with by a moirail before it becomes a culling offence, for which professionals were called in. I've even heard psychologists and therapists be referred to as 'pale prostitutes,' a term which amuses me to no end, although I suppose that, in a very base sense, the monicker is correct.

This mistrust of professionals can take anywhere from weeks to months to break. For the sake of actually getting work done on my next book, not to mention making progress with the Grand Highblood, I do hope it's only weeks. Nothing is more frustrating than coming to a stalemate with one's patient.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god, this is so late. I'm so sorry.

“What's the situation with my patient?” Rose asks Sahgri as he floors the accelerator on the golf cart. It goes surprisingly fast, and Rose has a feeling that has something to do with it being part of a military compound and not actually supposed to be used on a golf green.

The greenblood general shakes his head. “We don't know. He's going completely wild, he's been chained up, obviously, but we're worried that if it keeps up, he's going to just pull them completely out of the wall.”

Rose sighs and watches the facility pass by as the golf cart races on. There's a certain inelegance to this, Rose things, a harsh irony that Dirk and Dave would no doubt appreciate. However, Rose has more important things on her mind, and she can't help but jump in surprise when she hears a distant roar echo through the hallways.

“Is that ...”

“Yeah,” Sahgri answers grimly. Rose bites her lip.

The sounds get louder as they get closer to the Grand Highblood's cell, the guards looking even more tense and grim-faced with every checkpoint they pass. Rose is recognizable by now, so they're just waved through and Sahgri doesn't even bother slowing down. This is of the utmost important before anyone else gets hurt. Although it is only several minutes, it feels like much too long before they reach the wing where the Grand Highblood is being kept and Rose jumps out of the cart even almost before it stops moving. She hurries towards the cell. “Out of the way, please,” she tells several guards who have guns pointed at the closed door, and a deafening boom is heard from the cell, making everyone jump.

“Ma'am, please --!” a guard calls as Rose tests the door. Locked. Of course. She turns around.

“You may refer to me as Doctor Lalonde, or Doctor, if you choose,” she says calmly, although her eyes are hard. The Grand Highblood needs his psychologist immediately! “Second of all, my psychology patient is inside, and I have a feeling he needs me right now. Does anyone have keys, or will I have to pick the lock?”

The guards look at each other, but soon enough someone steps forward and offers Rose a key off of a keyring. She gives them a grateful smile and turns back to the door, unlocking the door. She leaves the key in the lock and opens the door just enough to slip inside, closing the heavy door with a clang behind her, and sure enough, she hears them lock her in with the murderous raging troll a moment later. No going back now.

The Grand Highblood really is angry, isn't he? His bed is broken apart and tossed around, and there are pillow feathers and artificial fluff from the thin mattress scattered about the room. She leans against the wall and watches as the giant purpleblood roars with rage, yanking on his restraints connecting him to the wall. When he sees Rose, he doesn't even seem to recognize who she is, and he snarls at her, spittle flying from between those sharp fangs. The sclera of his eyes are orange, the veins in them flushed with dark blood and making him seem more like the bestial Subjuglators of legend than a proper troll.Time hangs in the air as Rose meets his gaze calmly, dark purple meeting lavender, and the Grand Highblood seems to pause, unsure as to why Rose isn't exhibiting the usual signs of terror. She can barely hear her own thoughts over the pounding of her heart, but she's spent too many years of Dirk and Dave's Bro to show any apprehension.

“Highblood?” she asks finally, voice soft, and the spell is broken, the troll roaring at her and renewing his struggles against his bonds. The chain to his right hand come free with a spray of dust and fine rubble, and Rose flinches. She hates to do this, she feels like she's taking advantage of the troll's physiological weakness, but she has been trained by both professionals and her troll friends on how to forcibly calm a troll lost to the blood-lust of their species. All she needs to do is get close.

It's difficult but not impossible for Rose to slip in under the Grand Highblood's guard; he is mindless in his anger, and he is not defending his space as well as she knows he is capable of. So when she slides up to his left and stands on her toes to wrap a slim, human-warm hand around his horn, he lets out a honk of surprise. It almost sounds like the honk of a goose, Rose thinks idly in the back of her mind. Manicured fingers slip down the hard keratin and she presses the fleshy pads of her fingers into the soft base of his horn. Purple eyes blink at her in suspicious, and it's fascinating to watch the fight drain out of him. Rose doesn't stop massaging at that base of his horn even as his muscles go slack, and she follows him to kneel and then sit on the cold concrete floor.

* * *

 

2024-07-25

Log #GHB-006

When I first got my doctorate in xenopsychology, Kanaya made sure I was aware of the sensitive base of a troll's horns, and how they can be used to produce melanin and serotonin (as well as other hormones I admit to not remembering the name of) to induce a state of calm sleepiness. Of course, usually such a vulnerability is allowed to only matesprits and moirails, although it is possible to use this biological “off switch” if there is an immediate danger to one's life without any quadrant connection to the troll in question.

I was forced to use this technique to quell the Grand Highblood's rage. He ended up curling up asleep on the floor of the cell and I am typing up this report on my iPhone, as his head is in my lap and I do not have the heart to wake him, especially not when he's in such a delicate state.

I wonder what effect this will have on our professional patient-doctor relationship.

 


End file.
